English players deny claims of having influence over ECB’s decision to cancel Pakistan tour

London: English cricketers have denied claims that they were behind England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB)’s withdrawal from men and women teams’ tour next month.

According to a report in Daily Mail, both men and women cricketers were not even asked if they would travel for the tour as ECB emphasized that the tour was cancelled based on player welfare grounds rather than issues of security.

Team England Player Partnership (TEPP) told the publication that they were left in the dark by the ECB. The ECB board met on Sunday and the players were told of the decision to cancel the tour that same afternoon.

TEPP’s spokesperson refuted reports that the players were behind of this withdrawal. “At no stage has the ECB ever asked Team England Player Partnership or the teams, men and women, whether the tour should go ahead or whether players were prepared to tour Pakistan.”

“At no stage has Team England Player Partnership informed the ECB that the players would not be touring,” he added.

“The ECB board met last Sunday to debate the tour to Pakistan. That afternoon we were informed the tour had been cancelled. Team England Player Partnership was not asked for our input and we were not involved in the decision to cancel the tour.”

Players are also unhappy after they were criticized following ECB’s decision was they quoted one reason for the cancellation was to protect the squad’s ‘physical and mental well-being’.

It must be noted that England had to play two T20Is at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on 13 and 14 October. England women’s team also had to play as many T20Is against Pakistan women on the same day.

England women’s team had to stay back for the three ODIs on 17, 19, and 21 October.

England men’s team are also scheduled to play in Pakistan in 2022 as per Future Tours Program (FTP) but PCB has started to look on other plans as they don’t want to see another withdrawal from the ECB just before the tour.

Read: UK’s PM Boris unhappy over ECB’s decision to cancel Pakistan tour

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